Dictionary of National Biography, 1912 supplement/Toole, John Lawrence
TOOLE, JOHN LAWRENCE (1830–1906), actor and theatrical manager, born at 50 St. Mary Axe, London, on 12 March 1830, and baptised in the church of St. Andrew Undershaft on 25 July, was younger son of James Toole by his wife Elizabeth (Parish Reg.). His father at the time was an India House messenger, but afterwards combined the offices of City toast master and usher in the Central Criminal Court at the Old Bailey. As toast master he enjoyed an extended fame. 'An Ode to Toast Master Toole' appeared in 'Punch' on 11 Nov. 1844. In 1846 Dickens wrote of him as 'the renowned Mr. Toole, the most emphatic, vigorous, attentive, and stentorian toast master in the Queen's dominions.' Thackeray, in his 'Roundabout Paper' on 'Thorns in the Cushion,' describes 'Mr. Toole ' bawling behind the lord mayor's chair. Educated at the City of London School, young Toole began life as a wine merchant's clerk, and while so employed became a member of the City Histrionic Club, which gave performances in the Sussex Hall, Leadenhall Street, making his first appearance as Jacob Earwig in ' Boots at the Swan.' Encouraged by Dickens, who saw him in a monologue entertainment at the Walworth Literary Institute in 1852, Toole made one or two experimental appearances that year for benefits in town and country, notably at the Haymarket on 22 July, when he played Simmons in 'The Spitalfields Weaver' at the end of a long programme, terminating at two o'clock a.m. Finally, on 8 Oct., he made his professional debut in the same character at the Queen's Theatre, Dublin, where he was engaged by Charles Dillon as stock low comedian at a salary of 2l. per week, and, becoming an Immediate favourite, remained six months. Here, for his benefit on 30 Nov., he played his popular role of Paul Pry for the first ime. On 9 July 1853, tempted by a oetter offer, he transferred his services to the Theatre Royal, Edinburgh, making his first appearance as Hector Timid in 'A Dead Shot.' At Edinburgh, where he delighted his audiences by imitations of popular actors, he appeared for the first time on 7 March 1854 in his droll embodiment of the Artful Dodger in 'Oliver Twist,' singing 'The Dodger's Lament,' specially written for him by Hill, a member of the company. Returning to London for Passion Week, he gave his entertainment 'Toole at Home, or a Touch at the Times,' at the Southwark, Hackney, Walworth, and Beaumont Institutions. On 18 May 1854 he had a farewell benefit at Edinburgh, playing, inter alia, yovmg Master Willikind in Hill's new burlesque 'The Loves of Willikind and his Dinah.'
On 2 Oct. Toole began his first professional engagement in London by originating at the St. James's Theatre the poorly drawn character of Samuel Pepys in Taylor and Reade's ineffective comedy, 'The King's Rival,' and the more congenial role of Weazle, the disguised sheriff's officer, in Selby's farce, 'My Friend the Major.' But the engagement proved disquieting, and on 26 March 1855 he returned with relief to the Edinburgh stock company. On 2 Oct. he was seen as Lord Sands in an elaborate revival of 'King Henry VIII,' and on 3 Dec. as Bottom in 'A Midsummer-Night's Dream.' For his benefit on 15 April 1856 he played Felix Rosemary in 'Toole's Appeal to the Public,' and on 29 August following concluded his Edinburgh engagement. Transferring his services for two seasons to the Lyceum in London under Charles Dillon, he first appeared there on 15 Sept. as Fanfaronade in Webb's adaptation of 'Belphegor the Mountebank,' to the Belphegor of Dillon and the Henri of Marie Wilton (Lady Bancroft), who then made her metropolitan début. The afterpiece was Brough's new burlesque 'Perdita, or the Royal Milkmaid,' in which Toole was the Autolycus. In the succeeding summer he started pro- vincial starring with a small company of his own, a custom he followed annually, with great pecuniary advantage, 'till his retirement. During a three months' sojourn at Edinburgh in the summer of 1857 he made the acquaintance of Henry Irving, playing Adolphus Spanker to his Dazzle in 'London Assurance.' A warm and lifelong friend- ship between the two followed.
At the Lyceum in London he was seen for the first time on 10 March 1858 in his long popular characterisation of Tom Cranky in Hollingshead's sketch 'The Birthplace of Podgers.'
Engaged by Benjamin Webster [q. v.] of the New Adelphi on the strength of a warm recommendation from Charles Dickens, Toole made his first appearance at that house on 27 Dec. 1858, and remained there nine years. At the Adelphi he succeeded Edward Richard Wright [q. v.] in many of his parts, and inherited much of Wright's fame. On 9 May he was the original Spriggins in T. J. Williams's farce, 'Ici on parle Français,' an eccentric embodiment that maintained perpetual vogue. The revival of 'The Willow Copse' in September was notable for Toole's rendering of Augustus de Rosherville, a character formerly deemed the vehicle for the broadest kind of humour, but now rationalised by the genius of the actor. Toole created leading parts in many ephemeral farces, and was also the first Brutus Toupet in Watts Phillips's 'The Dead Heart' (10 Nov. 1859). At Christmas he made an effective Bob Cratchit in ’The Christmas Carol.' He did justice to Enoch Flicker, a powerfully drawn semi-serious character in Phillips's spectaxsular 'A Story of '45' (12 Nov. 1860), which Webster produced at Drury Lane ; and was Wapshot in the first performance in England of Boucicault's 'The Life of an Actress' (Adelphi, 1 March 1862). On 14 April following Toole showed his full power in his dehcate embodiment of old Caleb Plummer, the toymaker, in 'Dot' (Boucicault's version of 'The Cricket on the Hearth'), an impersonation in which he combined irresistibly humour and pathos. Toole's Caleb Plummer undoubtedly ranks among the histrionic masterpieces of his century. Among succeeding triumphs in drama or burlesque are to be noted his rendering of Azucena in Byron's burlesque 'Ill-treated II Trovatore' (21 May), and of Mr. Tetterby in 'The Haunted Man' at the Adelphi (27 June 1863).
Toole had now attained a salary of 35l. per week. On 7 March 1864 he was the original policeman in Brough and Halliday's farce 'The Area Belle' to the soldier of his ally Paul Bedford. In this he first sang E. L. Blanchard's ditty 'A Norrible Tale.' For his annual benefit on 14 Sept. he produced Oxenford's adaptation of 'Le Père Goriot' entitled 'Stephen Digges,' which had been written specially to suit his capacity for serio-comic acting of the Robsonian order. After seeing this masterly performance Dickens wrote to Forster that Toole had shown ' a power of passion very imusual indeed in a comic actor, as such things go, and of a quite remarkable kind.' But the play proved unattractive and was not revived. On 26 June 1865 he originated with acceptance another semi-serious plebeian character, Joe Bright, in Walter Gordon's comedy-drama 'Through Fire and Water,' and surprised his audience in the opening act by a grimly realistic exhibition of drunken savagery. In the summer of 1866 he went on tour with Henry Irving.
On 25 Nov. 1867, after Toole's association with the Adelphi ended, he produced at the Alexandra, Liverpool, Byron's comedy 'Dearer than Life,' in which the character of Michael Gamer had been specially designed for his serio-comic capabilities. On its production in London at the Queen's Theatre, Long Acre, on 8 Jan. 1868, Toole was supported by a new cast, comprising Charles Wyndham, Henry Irving, Lionel Brough, and Henrietta Hodson, and the harmony of the acting concealed the defective construction of the play. Toole's mingled exhibition of grief, passion, and humour as the brave old man who could endure starvation with a pleasant face raised him higher in critical estimation. In association with Henry Irving, he subsequently fiilfilled an engagement of seven weeks at the Standard Theatre. After his usual autumn tour he returned to the Queen's, Long Acre, on 26 Dec, and on 13 Feb. 1869 originated Jack Snipe in Watts Phillips's drama Not GuUty.'
On 13 Dec. 1869 Toole began his long and varied association with the Gaiety under John Hollingshead [q. v. Suppl. II], by producing there Byron's drama 'Uncle Dick's Darling,' m which his half-pathetic, half-comic acting as Dick Dolland, the Cheap Jack, delighted Dickens. Seven nights later Toole played the title-character in Sala's new burlesque 'Wat Tyler, M.P.,' and was well supported by Nellie Farren [q. v. Suppl. II] and Marie Litton. In his autumn tours of 1869 and 1870 Toole was accompanied by Henry Irving, the two playing, inter alia, Jacques Strop and Robert Macaire, characters in which they were afterwards seen at the Lyceum on 15 June 1883. For some time from 16 April 1870 Toole had the Grtmaldian experience of acting nightly at two theatres. After appearing in 'Uncle Dick's Darling' at the Standard he finished the evening as Cabriolo in Offenbach's opera-bouffe 'The Princess of Trebizonde,' at the Gaiety. At the latter house in the following Christmas he contributed materially to the success of Alfred Thompson's opera-bouffe 'Aladdin II,' by his whimsicality as Ko-Kli-Ko. There also on 24 Jan. 1871 he appeared as Sergeant Buzfuz in Hollingsheeid's sketch 'Bardell v. Pickwick,' for the benefit of the Royal Dramatic College Fund. At Christmas he performed acceptably as Thespis in Gilbert and Sullivan's first extravaganza, 'Thespis, or the Gfods Grown Old.' In September 1872 he revelled in the title-character of Recce's burlesque 'Ali Baba.' Burlesque chiefly occupied him at the Gaiety, but he was seen there in Laston's character of Billy Lackaday in 'Sweethearts and Wives' (3 April 1873), as Mawworm in 'The Hypocrite' to Phelps's Doctor Cantwell (15 Dec), as Dennis Bnilgruddery in 'John Bull ' to Charles Mathews's Hon. Tom Shuffleton (21 Dec), and as Bob Acres in association with Phelps and Mathews (14 Feb. 1874). His salary at the Gaiety at this period was 100l. per week.
On 6 April 1874 Toole opened the Globe Theatre for ten weeks, first producing there Albery's new domestic drama 'Wig and Gown,' in which he originated the extravagant character of Hammond Coote the barrister. After being banqueted at Willis's Rooms by a distinguished gathering under the presidency of Lord Rosebery on 24 June, Toole sailed for a first and last visit to America, accompanied by his wife and family and four supporting players. On 17 August he made his first appearance at WaUack's Theatre, New York, acting in 'Wig and Gown' and 'The Spitalfields Weaver.' The American public gave him a lukewarm reception, and condemned his humour as Cockneyfied. Returning to London after a year's absence, he reappeared at the Gaiety on 8 Nov. 1875, and on 3 Dec. was seen there in Recce's absurdity 'Toole at Sea.' He subsequently originated the title-character in Byron's comic drama of 'Tottles,' and created Professor Muddle in Recce's 'A Spelling Bee, or the Battle of the Dictionaries,' in which he sang 'The Two Obadiahs.' The last new production of importance in which he appeared at the Gaiety was Burnand's farcical comedy 'Artful Cards' (24 Feb. 1877), in which, as Mr. Spicer Rumford, his humour had full scope.
Taking the Globe for a season, Toole produced there on 17 Dec. 1877 his own farcical sketch ' Trying a Magistrate,' and exactly a month later he originated the congenial role of Charles Liquorpond, the retired footman, in Byron's successful comedy 'A Fool and his Money.' At the end of 1879 Toole leased for a term ultimately extending to sixteen years the Folly (formerly the Charing Cross) Theatre, a little house in King William Street, Strand. He inaugurated his management on 17 Nov. 1879 with 'A Fool and his Money' and 'Ici on parle Français.' At the Folly, where he main- tained a small permanent stock company, some members of which, such as John Billington and Eliza Johnstone, remained with him for years, he mainly relied on farcical comedies or burlesques by Byron or Reece. His production of Byron's comedy 'The Upper Crust' on 31 March 1880, with himself as Barnaby Doublechick, the soap-boiler, proved remarkably successful. Early in 1882 he took the Folly on a long lease, and re-opened it as Toole's Theatre on 16 Feb., when he was seen as Paul Pry. After producing Law and Grossmith's musical farce 'Mr. Gufiin's Elopement,' at the Alexandra, Liverpool, on 29 Sept., with himself as Benjamin Guffin, he transferred it to Toole's on 7 Oct., and was very successful in his singing of 'The Speaker's Eye.' At the close of the month he originated Solomon Protheroe, the village cobbler-pedagogue in Pinero's unconventional comedy 'Girls and Boys' ; but the play was puzzling and proved a failure. Subsequently he brought out from time to time several travesties of popular plays by Burnand, himself amusingly caricaturing Charles Coghlan as Loris Ipanoff in 'Stage Dora' (26 May 1883), Wilson Barrett as Claudian in 'Paw Clawdian' (14 Feb. 1884), and Irving as Mephistopheles in 'Faust and Loose' (4 Feb. 1886).
On 24 Nov. 1886 Toole produced at the Theatre Royal, Manchester, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Merivale's domestic comedy 'The Butler,' in which he was admirably fitted as David Trot. On its transference to Toole's on 6 Dec. the new piece proved very successful. Of equal popularity was the same authors' comedy 'The Don,' as produced at the King WUham Street house on 7 March 1888, with Toole as Mr. Milliken, M.A.
Domestic distress caused his retirement during 1888 and 1889. In Feb. 1890, shortly after his return to the stage, he accepted an offer to visit Australia, where he was warmly welcomed and remained longer than he had intended. He reappeared at Toole's on 23 April 1891 in ’The Upper Crust.' On 30 May he appeared as Ibsen, wonderfully made up, in J. M. Barrie's sketch ' Ibsen's Ghost ; or Toole up to Date.' The most noteworthy production of his declining years was Barrie's comedy 'Walker, London,' brought out at Toole's on 25 Feb. 1892 with himself as Jasper Phipps, the fugitive bridegroom and barber. Gout now began to make serious inroads on his health, and from this time onwards his acting became a painful spectacle. On 28 Sept. 1895 his lease of the theatre expired and his London career ended. The theatre was pulled down at the end of the year to afford extension to Charing Cross Hospital. For a few months Toole lagged superfluous on the provincial stage, making his last appearance at the Theatre Royal, Rochdale, on 19 Dec. 1896, when he was seen as Caleb Plummer and Tom Cranky. Degeneration of the spinal cord soon rendered Toole a helpless invalid. Retiring, to Brighton, he died there on 30 July 1906. He was buried in Kensal Green cemetery beside his wife and children, who all predeceased him. Toole's later life was marked by severe domestic distresses. He married in 1854 Susan Kaslake, a young widow unconnected with the stage, with whom he lived very happily, and who almost invariably accompanied him while on tour. By her he had a son and a daughter. On 4 Dec. 1879 the son, Frank Lawrence Toole, died, aged 23. The daughter, Florence, died on 5 Nov. 1888, and his wife a few months later.
He left a fortune of 79,964l. By his will he made numerous legacies to friends and to charities. In 1889 there was published his 'Reminiscences,' which were compiled by Joseph Hatton [q.v. Suppl. II].
Toole's eccentric drollery was the outward expression of a frolicsome, boyish, sunny nature, which otherwise manifested itseK in ebullitions of practical joking, wholly void of offence. Simple in his tastes and domestic in his habits, he was entirely lovable, never making an enemy or losing a friend. Although he was fundamentally an artist, with high personative qualities and considerable gifts of pathos, the preponderance of his work was of the laughter-making order. But his Caleb Plummer and Michael Gamer showed a capacity for higher things. As a low comedian he was a disciple of the school of Liston and Wright, a school that believed in establishing so complete an understanding with the public that liberties might be taken with it. Where the author failed, the comedian made fun on his own account. Toole had all Wright's propensitfes for ’gagging,' and (especially in the provinces) gratified them to the full. If his humour was neither so rich nor so spontaneous as Wright's, it at least lacked his coarseness and lubricity. The last great low comedian of the old school, Toole was certainly the cleanest. A portrait of him by the Hon. John Collier, presented in 1895 by Sir Henry Irving, hangs in the Garrick Club (No. 340). Several other portraits of the comedian in character were sold at the auction of his effects at Sotheby's on 8 Nov. 1906. A cartoon portrait by 'Spy' appeared in 'Vanity Fair' in 1896.
[Joseph Hatton's Reminiscences of J. L. Toole; W. Clark Russell's Representative Actors; Forster's Life of Charles Dickens; J. C. Dibdin's Annals of the Edinburgh Stage; Theatrical Journal for 1852–5; The Bancroft Memoirs; Recollections of Edmund Yates; Pascoe's Dramatic List; Era Almanack for 1877; W. Davenport Adams's Dict. of the Drama; T. Edgar Pemberton's Dickens and the Stage; Dramatic Notes 1879–88; Col. T. Allston Brown's History of the New York Theatres; William Archer's The Theatrical World for 1894–5; Dutton Cook's Nights at the Play; Pemberton's The Birmingham Theatres; John Hollingshead's Gaiety Chronicles; The Lady of the House (Dublin) for 15 Aug. 1906; Idler Mag., April 1893; Daily Telegraph, Dublin Evening Herald, and Dublin Evening Mail, 31 July 1906; personal knowledge and research.]